The invention relates to a storage system made of cardboard, which comprises a load bearing structure defining a rectangular storage space and storage elements in the structure. The appearance of the storage system is similar to a wardrobe, and the storage elements are shelves or slant display shelves.
For storage purposes, in offices or for expositions light weight storage systems are required which can easily be assembled and disassembled and which are capable of storing files, exposition objects and leaflets as well as books. The building material of such systems can also be a stiff and strong cardboard.
The use of cardboard storage systems is preferable due to the low price and weight of paper and to the easy way of making any desired surface finish there on. Up to the present cardboard storage systems has not been used which have the required strength and can be manufactured and assembled easily.
In the Hungarian patent application P 97 00488 published on Mar. 29, 1999 a storage system is described that has several shelves and comprises a body made of a cardboard sheet folded to take the final form, wherein the shelves are fitted in the body. Such a design has drawbacks because one has to know the location of the shelves already at the time of manufacture, since respective openings should be made on the wall material for the fitting of the shelves. The cutting step as an operation is expensive, it requires the application of a tool, and the predetermined arrangement decreases variability. The fixing of the shelves in openings decreases the mechanical stability and strength. A further drawback of such a system lies in that the system will assume its final stability only after the shelves have been inserted. Owing to the lack of the required stability such a design is inappropriate for making systems of any desired size and shape.
In the catalogue xe2x80x9cPre-Designed Displaysxe2x80x9d of the U.S. company Meridian Display and Merchandising (162 York Ave E. St. Paul Minn.) numerous merchandisers are shown which are made of paper material and comprise shelves fixed in openings made in the wall of the cabinet. The material of the cabinet should be provided with openings at locations where shelves will have to be fitted. Such storage systems are sufficiently strong and loadable owing to the sophisticated design of the cabinet walls including reinforcement elements.
The object of the invention is to provide a cardboard storage system that has the required strength and which can be manufactured from a simple cardboard plate by using assembling technology, wherein the storage elements can be arranged freely and any arrangement can be varied easily. A further object lies in the design of a storage system, wherein at least in the larger parts mainly on the support elements there is no need for making any openings, furthermore wherein the assembly and disassembly can be made repeatedly without the danger of any injury to the elements.
These objects have been attained by a storage system made of cardboard that comprises a load bearing structure defining a rectangular storage space and storage elements in the structure, wherein the load bearing structure is a mantle having a U-shaped profile and vertical boundary plates, the mantle comprises a rear plate, a pair of side plates and reinforcement beams constituting extension of the side plates, and defining at both sides together with the rear plate and the side plates respective U-shaped vertical channels open towards inner direction; further it comprises upper and lower cross reinforcement members fixed to the mantle which close the channels, and the channels receive spacing members and the storage elements.
In a preferable embodiment the mantle is a structure made of a cardboard plate by means of folding; the reinforcement beams have rectangular cross section and being folded back to the associated one of the side plates and fixed thereto.
The cross reinforcement members are made of cardboard by means of folding and have a rectangular profile, each comprises a horizontal closing surface filling the interior of the mantle and a pair of vertical side plates attached to the rear plate and to the inner surface of said reinforcement beams, respectively.
The spacing members are preferably made of cardboard by means of folding and they have a U-profile or a closed cross section and have a plate that closes the inward opening of the channel and a pair of shorter sides attached to the shorter sides of said channel the spacing members fill the vertical channels between the storage elements and provide support therefor.
The storage elements are preferably shelves made of cardboard by means of folding and they have a closed cross section, the shelves fill and interconnect the channels and are supported by the spacing members and in given cases support further spacing members.
In an alternative embodiment the storage elements are slant shelves, each comprises a rear plate that extends into the channels and held by said the spacing members, a slant support plate and a narrow lower edge normal to the slant support plate, these elements are made of a cardboard plate material by multiple folds and united into a stiff structure.
The assembly will be much easier if the constructional elements are clamped and fixed together by pressure clips arranged at locations being invisible during normal use.
It is preferable if openings are made in the structural elements for the easy insertion of the pressure clips.
The storage system according the invention attains all objectives set, the constructional frame is sufficiently stiff and rigid and enables the free arrangement of the support elements. All elements are made by multiple folds without using openings that would depend on the intended arrangement The attachment by means of pressure clips guarantees the easy and repeated assembly.